I've been a fan for LeBron James for a long time. It has very little to do with being a Cavaliers fan. Throughout my entire life, Cleveland has been a big part of my sports upbringing. I grew up loving Mark Price, that incredible Indians lineup in the mid-to-late nineties, and Michigan will always be looked down upon. Yet, I've never been that serious about my Ohio roots. It bothered me when Art Modell uprooted the Browns and left, but we got the team back and it's not as if they ever managed to produce anything outside of Bernie Kozar. The Indians still haven't won a thing for over 50 years. I don't even hate Michigan fans, and it's just a funny joke to me.
When LeBron came to Cleveland, I was excited. It was a great story in the making for fans of basketball and Ohio natives. A hometown kid getting drafted by the Cavaliers, LeBron was a gift to Ohio. He came into the league and immediately became one of the most watchable players in league history, and he seemed to enjoy himself while doing it. Nobody particularly likes the "killer instinct" versions of Jordan and Kobe. As a sports fan, I can get behind a player who truly loves what he is doing on the court or on the field. I always liked Magic better than MJ. Kirby Puckett and Ken Griffey Jr. had those infectious smiles that you could identify with. Those are the players I love to watch, and to be honest, that's why I got behind LeBron to begin with.
He gave Cleveland 7 years of his life and put himself through more hell than 99% of the league's players while still being expected to do more. The very second he left, you could see what appreciation the state had for the likes of him. He is public enemy #1 in Ohio, and the reasons are difficult to justify when you consider what he had already brought to the state. He single-handedly turned the Cavaliers, an absolute joke of a franchise, into an immediate contender. The team value shot up over $100 million, and he did everything by Ohio committee. He brought Shaq in, who never would have came to Cleveland under a different circumstance. He even pushed to keep Z, who was effectively slowing the franchise down no matter how much we loved the guy and wanted him to succeed. He claimed the league's best record. He claimed MVP honors.
No, he didn't bring the title home...but when you make all the right decisions only to turn to Mo Williams and realize that not one person on that team outside of Shaq was capable of elevating their game, can you really blame him? Let's be real for a moment. By getting LeBron, you effectively guarantee yourself a title so long as you have players willing to take it. LeBron didn't have anyone like that. Even Shaq was capable of only really doing that in a game or two of the last playoffs. Even if LeBron did quit on his team in the playoffs this year, how much of the blame goes to him for doing so?
That's really where the defense breaks down. If LeBron had finished strong in the postseason, and we still don't know just how hurt he really was, do we still bring the hate to his doorstep? I don't think we do as much. We really don't know if he did quit, either, so we can't hate him for just that. It's also unfair to say that he needed to be loyal to Cleveland. After 7 years, he clearly did not need to be loyal to them any more than he already proved himself to be. When Bret Favre left Green Bay, Green Bay told him to hit the road because they were not going to play his game. What Bret Favre wanted to do was hold a franchise at gunpoint while he took his sweet time in deciding. The only person to blame for the Cavaliers being held at gunpoint is the very same owner slamming LeBron in the media right now.
Dan Gilbert basically bent himself over and tossed LeBron the lube this offseason. Gilbert deserved what he got, and anyone in Cleveland knew it. Cleveland didn't go sign a free agent, didn't get creative, and didn't make the effort for LeBron anyway. If LeBron was the last key piece to fall in the market, then what was Cleveland doing the entire time? You really expect LeBron to be enticed by another postseason of Mo Williams? You really think Shaq is going to be better next year? Gilbert caused the Cavs to be held hostage, not LeBron.
LeBron was a little...ok, a lot...narcissistic when announcing his plans, but the plans itself is nothing to get fussed about. Say you and your three best pals grew up playing Goldeneye and Halo together for the past decade. You always have a blast playing together, and sometimes another opposing household comes over for a 4 on 4 match and you smoke them every time. You also all play in a gaming league, with each friend being on a separate team. The opportunity comes up the next year to enroll all of your friends on the same team, knowing that you'll have an incredible time doing it while also being encouraged by the potential league domination you could do. Do you say no to that just because some sniveling brat that goes 3-25 each map brings the donuts and Dew to the games wants you to stay? Effectively, that's what Gilbert is in all of this. He's the one crying "YOU DIDN'T SEE ME! YOU'RE HACKING!" while his hands are covered in Cheeto-stains, and the second he doesn't get his way, he cries in a corner.
So, before you go burning your LeBron jersey, just remember...he may no longer be allowed, by default, to be the best player in the history of the game. Provided something massive doesn't happen in the next couple years, there's no way that he gets compared to MJ.
But, it was either that, or become KG. For all the loyalty that guy had to his team, franchise, and fanbase, it took an incredible toll on his mind and body to work through it all and come up with nothing. I don't know a single Minnesotan that hates KG for anything he did. He deserved to jump ship and get his title. No one faults him for it. It only makes sense that it was KG that gave the little piece of advice to LeBron right after his playoff exit.
Loyalty only gets you so far. If you have an opportunity to do what you want to do, go get it.
He did.
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